Imperium Aarakocra
"The Imperium has conquered!" History Formed by the Aarakocrans to use the free space left behind by the Elves who migrated north, the Imperium Aarakocra was built as a non-Elven society after many Elves left the South to explore the new realms of the North in the Elven Era. The Imperium had a heavily militarized history, with the people becoming sure of themselves and their power. While the sun fell on the northern hemisphere, they took advantage of An Tusail's ailing health to begin a war to conquer the Elven kingdom. Along the way, they also started an additional war with the Mistontli. As of the late 1750s DE, no contact has been made with any survivors of the Imperium, although many of their great cities have been discovered and given a cursory exploration. Politics The Imperium is ruled by the Patrician, and the culture as a whole has an extremel rigid feudal structure, to the point where certain colours are only allowed to be worn by certain classes- for example, only the Imperator may wear an outfit with purple as the dominant colour. The Patrician An elected dictator, the Patrician rules and decides what is best for the future of the Imperium, with the advice of his Senators. The Patrician is typically a proven political mover, and had a large entourage of soldiers, aides and eunuchs, all of whom must be physically appealing to the Patrician's personal taste. This retinue frequently has more say than the Senators, despite having a lower social ranking, due to always having the Patrician's ear. Succession for the Patrician's family is determined by who is the boldest- or, who can take control of the chaos following the last Patrician's death first. Senators A Senator has to have property worth a small fortune, and in doing so are given say over the election and decision of the next Emperor. Senators would wear a thin band of purple on their white togas to differentiate themselves from less-influential land owners. Senators would also run their own armies. Freemen People who were not beholden to others, and worked jobs such as masons, painters and architects. Although they held little to no sway over the politics their rights are still to be respected. Slaves Slaves had no rights, and were owned property- usually of Senators, but sometimes particularly rich freemen might own one or two. The slave trade was somewhat barbarous, as well as a punishment for criminals, slavery could also be inflicted upon enemy legions. Many of the slaves were Tabaxi from the Mistontli, or Elves from the people of An Tusail. Military An army was comprised of Legions, each of which would have 5,000 legionaires and respond to a Senator's family. Legionaires were soldiers and highly regarded and praised, many Generals would be awarded the lands that they would conquer, and a senator who comes from the stock of such a General would be looked upon far more favourably by others, their opinion given more weight. There is, however, still a class divived- A legion would be split into 80 men groups led by a Centurion. The Law and Criminality Punishments in the Imperium are strict- dismemberment, execution and removal of status- including freedom- were common. Someone who harmed a family could be sentenced to live as a slave of that family until their death, and this would include any spouse they might have and children they currently have or would have in the future, unless the family of the punished was given a pardon by the victim. Execution through means such as starvation and the stake are also common. Technology Not the most technologically advanced society, the majority of research has gone into creating stronger armor for legionaires. The airships they have were created by slave labour, and as such were made sloppily, possessing a lot of style but no substance. Nevertheless, the military might of the generals and their mages lead the Imperium's fighting force to be greatly feared. Their tenacity, if nothing else, sets them apart. Geography The Imperium is located on many flat plains, although there are also rainforests and other types of lands towards their north. In general, the Imperium seems to thrive in warm dry places. Society The Imperium Aarakocra resembles the Ancient Roman Empire in it's structure, with a form of democracy that is easily taken advantage of by senators for their own ends. For entertainment, Imperium citizens watch arena tournaments of chariot races. Food and Drink The Imperium enjoy wines, breads and pasta-based dishes. Although their diet is light on meat, they do have plenty of insects or small birds involved in their dishes. They enjoy meals with light touches of herbs and spices. Clothing Most people of the Imperium wear a Toga, regardless of gender, in day-to-day functions. The material and colour change depending on the wealth and social status of the individual and their family- for example, only the Patrician's family is allowed to wear purple. Although the material is commonly rough cotton, finer and finer blends have been made, and togas made of fine silk are prized status symbols of the masses. Marriage and Family Family is important, as is marriage. In the Imperium, you have only one spouse throughout your life, even if they should die. Raising your children is important, and the birth of a new child is celebrated. Popularity For entertainment, the people enjoy chariot races and gladiatorial arena battles. These bloody battles are anything-goes no-holds-barred affairs, and the most successful Gladiators often develop reputations, becoming hero-worshipped by children and bugged for handshakes, hugs and given propositions by eligible men and women. Plays are also popular, with stages in many towns and cities for acting troupes to perform in, in exchange for donations. Medicine Most people will see a Cleric should they have a medical condition, Clerics are seen as the ultimate healers. Outside of this, most maladies are taken care of by the family of the diseased. Medical care from Clerics is free, and a Cleric found charging money may be put to death or forced into slavery. Species and Religion While almost all senators and the family of the Patrician are Aarakocra, most of the freemen and slaves are human or Loxodon. This leads to an uneasy feeling of superiority on the part of the Aarakocra. Death in the Imperium When someone dies, their body is treated with great respect, cleaned, embalmed, and then will be taken through the town of their home, led by a procession. The family spare no expense, paying for musicians to perform as the first part of this procession, the larger processions ones can even resemble a circus. To make the person appear more popular, people will be paid to follow and mourn with the family. In the funerals of the particularly rich, these professional mourners can easily outnumber the genuinely bereaved. Freemen and the patrons of the deceased then follow, as a way of showing respect, followed by people dressed in ceremonial clothes meant to resemble ancestors of the deceased. Finally, the deceased is carried at the end of the procession. The body is then taken to a Necropolis where it will be burned upon a funeral pyre, the ashes, bones and other remains would then be interred in a funerary urn. It is believed that until the interment is complete, the deceased's spirit cannot move on to the afterlife. Bathing and Utilities The Imperium have bathhouses that vary in quality depending on the money and social clientele these buildings are aimed at. These stone buildings provide magically-heated water to the bathers, as well as discreet places to perform other necessary ablutions. Toilets are connected to a large sewage system, and self-care afterwards is performed with a type of sponge attached to the end of a stick. Taboos Being a teetotaler is seen as incredibly suspicious, as many in the Imperium believe the only way to get to the true character of a person is to drink with them. Acting above your station, or clearly trying to be better than those around you, is also looked down upon with derision, as it is seen as a way of falsely elevating yourself and foresaking your ancestors and family. Being seen nude around others not of your social class is considered a grave embarrassment, however people will often take baths with others of their own standing- many business meetings will even take place in a bathhouse, to show that there are no secrets between those who are making the agreement.